Race, Slavery, and Liberalism in Nineteenth-Century American Literature (Cambridge Studies in American Literature and Culture, Series Number 150)

Moving boldly between literary analysis and political theory, contemporary and antebellum US culture, Arthur Riss invites readers to rethink prevailing accounts of the relationship between slavery, liberalism, and literary representation. Situating Nathaniel Hawthorne, Harriet Beecher Stowe, and Frederick Douglass at the center of antebellum debates over the person-hood of the slave, this 2006 book examines how a nation dedicated to the proposition that 'all men are created equal' formulates arguments both for and against race-based slavery. This revisionary argument promises to be unsettling for literary critics, political philosophers, historians of US slavery, as well as those interested in the link between literature and human rights. Cover......Page 1 Half-title......Page 3 Series-title......Page 4 Title......Page 5 Copyright......Page 6 Contents......Page 7 Acknowledgements......Page 9 Introduction – the figure a “person” makes: on the aesthetics of liberalism......Page 11 RACISM......Page 18 LIBERALISM......Page 21 HAWTHORNE AND STOWE......Page 25 POLEMIC......Page 30 CHAPTER 1 Slaves and persons......Page 37 US SLAVERY, US LIBERALISM......Page 40 PERSONS AND SLAVERY......Page 42 RECOGNIZING PERSONS......Page 45 PUTTING THE “PERSON” OUT OF PLAY......Page 46 THE PERSON FUNCTION AND THE LOGIC OF LIBERAL REPRESENTATION......Page 53 FOUNDATIONAL PERSONHOOD......Page 55 RECONSTRUCTING LINCOLN AFTER THE PERSON......Page 64 CHAPTER 2 Family values and racial essentialism in Uncle Tom's Cabin......Page 68 THE CHRISTIAN RACE......Page 73 RACIALIZING THE FAMILY......Page 80 SOUTHERN FAMILIES......Page 82 REAL FAMILIES......Page 85 THE BIOLOGY OF OWNERSHIP......Page 87 RACIAL NATIONALISM......Page 89 CHAPTER 3 Eva's hair and the sentiments of race......Page 94 SENTIMENTAL UNIVERSALISM......Page 97 EVA’S DEATH......Page 106 THE RACE OF A HAIR......Page 107 THE SEMIOTICS OF HAIR......Page 112 EVA’S HAIR......Page 116 CHAPTER 4 A is for Anything: US liberalism and the making of The Scarlet Letter......Page 121 THE OFFICE OF LIBERAL EXEGESIS......Page 123 AMBIGUITY, IRONY, AND PARADOX......Page 125 LIBERAL FORMALISM......Page 129 DEONTOLOGICAL LIBERALISM......Page 132 ‘THE SCARLET LETTER’ AS IDENTITY MARKER......Page 133 BERCOVITCH AND TOCQUEVILLE......Page 137 THE SCARLET LETTER......Page 141 CHAPTER 5 The art of discrimination: The Marble Faun, “Chiefly About War Matters,” and the aesthetics of anti-black racism......Page 146 THE SLAVE AND THE FAUN......Page 150 ANTEBELLUM RACIST AESTHETICS......Page 152 CHIEFLY ABOUT WAR MATTERS......Page 156 THE AESTHETICS OF ‘THE MARBLE FAUN’......Page 159 ROME AND THE RULE OF THE AESTHETIC......Page 165 THE FALL......Page 166 FAUNING SLAVES......Page 169 CHAPTER 6 Freedom, ethics, and the necessity of persons: Frederick Douglass and the scene of resistance......Page 174 THE FIGHT......Page 179 THE COUNTERNARRATIVE......Page 189 ETHICS AFTER THE ‘PERSON’......Page 192 INTRODUCTION – THE FIGURE A PERSON MAKES: ON THE AESTHETICS OF LIBERALISM......Page 196 SLAVES AND PERSONS......Page 207 FAMILY VALUES AND RACIAL ESSENTIALISM IN UNCLE TOM’S CABIN......Page 215 EVA’S HAIR AND THE SENTIMENTS OF RACE......Page 222 A IS FOR ANYTHING: US LIBERALISM AND THE MAKING OF THE SCARLET LETTER......Page 229 THE ART OF DISCRIMINATION: THE MARBLE FAUN, “CHIEFLY ABOUT WAR MATTERS,” AND THE AESTHETICS OF ANTI-BLACK RACISM......Page 234 FREEDOM, ETHICS, AND THE NECESSITY OF PERSONS: FREDERICK DOUGLASS AND THE SCENE OF RESISTANCE......Page 240 Index......Page 245 Cover 1 Half-title 3 Series-title 4 Title 5 Copyright 6 Contents 7 Acknowledgements 9 Introduction – the figure a “person” makes: on the aesthetics of liberalism 11 RACISM 18 LIBERALISM 21 HAWTHORNE AND STOWE 25 POLEMIC 30 CHAPTER 1 Slaves and persons 37 US SLAVERY, US LIBERALISM 40 PERSONS AND SLAVERY 42 RECOGNIZING PERSONS 45 PUTTING THE “PERSON” OUT OF PLAY 46 THE PERSON FUNCTION AND THE LOGIC OF LIBERAL REPRESENTATION 53 FOUNDATIONAL PERSONHOOD 55 RECONSTRUCTING LINCOLN AFTER THE PERSON 64 CHAPTER 2 Family values and racial essentialism in Uncle Tom's Cabin 68 THE CHRISTIAN RACE 73 RACIALIZING THE FAMILY 80 SOUTHERN FAMILIES 82 REAL FAMILIES 85 THE BIOLOGY OF OWNERSHIP 87 RACIAL NATIONALISM 89 CHAPTER 3 Eva's hair and the sentiments of race 94 SENTIMENTAL UNIVERSALISM 97 EVA’S DEATH 106 THE RACE OF A HAIR 107 THE SEMIOTICS OF HAIR 112 EVA’S HAIR 116 CHAPTER 4 A is for Anything: US liberalism and the making of The Scarlet Letter 121 THE OFFICE OF LIBERAL EXEGESIS 123 AMBIGUITY, IRONY, AND PARADOX 125 LIBERAL FORMALISM 129 DEONTOLOGICAL LIBERALISM 132 ‘THE SCARLET LETTER’ AS IDENTITY MARKER 133 BERCOVITCH AND TOCQUEVILLE 137 THE SCARLET LETTER 141 CHAPTER 5 The art of discrimination: The Marble Faun, “Chiefly About War Matters,” and the aesthetics of anti-black racism 146 THE SLAVE AND THE FAUN 150 ANTEBELLUM RACIST AESTHETICS 152 CHIEFLY ABOUT WAR MATTERS 156 THE AESTHETICS OF ‘THE MARBLE FAUN’ 159 ROME AND THE RULE OF THE AESTHETIC 165 THE FALL 166 FAUNING SLAVES 169 CHAPTER 6 Freedom, ethics, and the necessity of persons: Frederick Douglass and the scene of resistance 174 THE FIGHT 179 THE COUNTERNARRATIVE 189 ETHICS AFTER THE ‘PERSON’ 192 Notes 196 INTRODUCTION – THE FIGURE A PERSON MAKES: ON THE AESTHETICS OF LIBERALISM 196 SLAVES AND PERSONS 207 FAMILY VALUES AND RACIAL ESSENTIALISM IN UNCLE TOM’S CABIN 215 EVA’S HAIR AND THE SENTIMENTS OF RACE 222 A IS FOR ANYTHING: US LIBERALISM AND THE MAKING OF THE SCARLET LETTER 229 THE ART OF DISCRIMINATION: THE MARBLE FAUN, “CHIEFLY ABOUT WAR MATTERS,” AND THE AESTHETICS OF ANTI-BLACK RACISM 234 FREEDOM, ETHICS, AND THE NECESSITY OF PERSONS: FREDERICK DOUGLASS AND THE SCENE OF RESISTANCE 240 Index 245 Moving Between Literary Analysis And Political Theory, Contemporary And Antebellum Us Culture, Arthur Riss Invites Readers To Rethink Prevailing Accounts Of The Relationship Between Slavery, Liberalism, And Literary Representation. Situating Nathaniel Hawthorne, Harriet Beecher Stowe, And Frederick Douglass At The Center Of Antebellum Debates Over The Personhood Of The Slave, This Book Examines How A Nation Dedicated To The Proposition That All Men Are Created Equal Formulates Arguments Both For And Against Race-based Slavery. This Revisionary Argument Promises To Be Unsettling For Literary Critics, Political Philosophers, Historians Of Us Slavery, As Well As Those Interested In The Link Between Literature And Human Rights.--jacket. Introduction : The Figure A Person Makes : On The Aesthetics Of Liberalism -- Slaves And Persons -- Family Values And Racial Essentialism In Uncle Tom's Cabin -- Eva's Hair And The Sentiments Of Race -- A Is For Anything : Us Liberalism And The Making Of The Scarlet Letter -- The Art Of Discrimination : The Marble Faun, Chiefly About War Matters, And The Aesthetics Of Anti-black Racism -- Freedom, Ethics, And The Necessity Of Persons : Frederick Douglass And The Scene Of Resistance. Arthur Riss. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 186-234) And Index. Moving boldly between literary analysis and political theory, contemporary and antebellum U.S. culture, Arthur Riss invites readers to rethink prevailing accounts of the relationship between slavery, liberalism, and literary representation. This revisionary argument promises to be unsettling for literary critics, political philosophers, and historians of U.S. slavery